Consumer complaints against the blandness of modern lean meat and the frequent reference to the
more strongly flavored meat that was available years ago have prompted reconsideration of high fatdepositing
typical pig breeds. Casertana and Large White pig breeds are characterized by a different
tendency toward fat accumulation as they exhibit opposite genetic and physiological traits with respect
to the energy metabolism. These physiological differences were investigated in longissimus lumborum
muscles through proteomics (2-DE, MS/MS) and microarray approaches. Data were analyzed for
pathway and network analyses, as well as GO term enrichment of biological functions. As a result,
Casertana showed a greater amount of proteins involved in glycolitic metabolism and mainly rely on
fast-mobilizable energy sources. Large White overexpressed cell cycle and skeletal muscle growth related
genes. Metabolic behavior and other implications are discussed....more